HUNDREDS of mourners gathered together to say a fond farewell to a respected councillor.

The funeral for Southend’s Labour councillor Julian Ware-Lane was held today.

The congregation, including mayor of Southend Derek Jarvis, met for the order of service at Southend Crematorium.

They then travelled to the Sutton Road Cemetery, Southend.

Echo:

A eulogy for the funeral read: “Julian grew up in a Marxist household and sometimes found this challenging, but he never forgot the hunger he’d endured, this shaped his socialism and fired his motivation.

“Joining Labour and Co-op parties in 1996, with a brief time in the Greens, representing Southend at Branch, Constituency, County and Regional Board, holding numerous roles, he simply got the job done. “Julian was highly competitive and unable to conceal his excitement in the last election, which saw him singing for his votes in Leigh.

“He challenged crime statistics reversing cuts in policing and served on Essex Fire Authority.”

It added: “Julian was an atheist yet sat on the Religious Education Council, standing outside meetings, until prayers were over, believing outdated practices had no place in a modern democracy.

“He once famously tried to join the Essex Feminist Collective and Momentum but was denied access to one, and thrown out of the other, with no right to appeal.

“A man of the people who encouraged many to stand in politics, he made genuine and strategic friendships, which were extremely important to him.

“He was a dynamic, funny, trusted and very sweet dear friend.”

He passed away on Sunday January 20.

As a mark of respect, council flags at the Civic Centre in Southend were lowered to half-mast after his death was announced.

Mr Ware-Lane, aged 59 at the time of his death, also served as a parliamentary candidate in Castle Point and Rochford and Southend East and represented Milton from 2012.